Memories of the Waste
by Mr.Merchant
Summary: I still remember what it was like before the war; before the bombs. Even then, it sucked but it was better than this. I never believed anything good could come out of this world, at least not until I met her.Female Lone Wanderer and OC, friendship pairing. Rated M for gore, explicit language and excessive and sometimes unnecessary violence.


**Chapter 1: Just some Kid**

**Disclaimer: Fallout 3 is owned by Bethesda Game Studios, Bethesda Softworks, and Todd Howard. I, in no way, shape or form, own Fallout 3 or anyone of the official characters or story. This story is complete work of fan-made fiction made strictly for amusement. I only claim on ownership over characters I create and their back stories. Any resemblance to anyone person real or fictional is strictly a coincidence. **

I still remember the day all too well. The sky turned from blue to red, the sirens going off. The world was ending and I was smack dab in the middle of the biggest shit storm the world had seen in years. It was 2077 when the bombs had dropped all over the world, not like things were much better before that. Political arguments, famine, a war with no real reason behind it; this was the time I grew up in, over 200 years ago and I couldn't miss it more if I tried.

I'd lived in Washington or the Capital Waste as most know it now, most of my life, not including my service in the military during the war. Washington was a shit hole back then but now, it was a shit hole on a hot summer day. Everywhere you look, everywhere you went, all you saw were bandits raiding and raping and people barely scraping enough together to survive. This was the way the world was now. This was the law of the wasteland. Nobody cared about anyone but themselves and the most valuable things in the world went from paper money, jewels, and stocks to bullets, bottle caps, and water. Water more than anything in the waste with almost 80% of the shit either being eradiated or filled with Mirelurkers.

This was life now. This was the way children would grow up. No more worrying about what college was good or if you were good looking enough to get that girl to go with you to the soda shop. Now it was what gun's the least beat up or do I have enough left in me to high tail and run. According to any sensible person back in the 2070's, this wouldn't be considered life, this would be considered survival. Well, survival is life now and you either get busy growing a pair, or bend over and let life fuck you so hard and fast that you don't know whether to cry or just punch the first feller who crosses you. This is life now and there ain't no changing that.

At least, that is how I used to feel. That was before I learned that not everyone in this world was cold and dead inside. There are still those proud few, those shining lights in the dark that make me believe that maybe one day, things could be normal again, we call them legends. Little did I know, I would meet the one person in all the waste who was would be bigger than all the previous legends and she was just some dumb kid.

**Monday, April 21, 2277, 6:35am;**

I woke up early as usual, can't sleep to long when you live in this world. Can't sleep to often either for it could be the last time. I stretched with a groan and made my way out of the hole I had hid away in while I slept. I covered my eyes from the sun. "Damn that's bright." I said to, well no one obviously. A short yawn and I grabbed the shovel that sat by the cave like hole and began digging up my rucksack. A quick inventory showed everything was still there and still in good condition, save for some extra dirt in the sack. I took out my .44 Magnum and flipped out the cylinder. Three bullets, fucking great, just fucking great, better make these count.

I slid the gun into my holster and shifted through my bag taking out my beat up old machete and placing it in the slide on my back. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my Compass Mate. Nifty little device, an auto mapper that tracked every step I made and even detected movement 40 meters ahead of me. Got to remember to thank the bandit I shot for this whenever I meet him in the next life.

I chuckled a bit at the thought of me dying. 200 years later and I still wonder if I'll ever see the afterlife. I'm too damn stubborn to just lie down and die and too damn proud to end it my damn self. Guess I just got to wait like everyone else.

A sudden and familiar beeping came from my hand as I looked for at my Compass Mate. WARNING-MOVEMENT DETECTED: 21 METERS NORTHEAST! That was the message that came across the screen. Well, looks like either breakfast or loot; either I'm getting in my morning exercise.

I unsheathed my machete and made a mad dash in the direction of the signal. What I was about to see next, I definitely was ready for. I stopped at a hill near the signal and reached into my bag for the old rifle scope I kept. I looked out in the distance and saw a rickety wooden door placed into the side of a cliff. "Well that's out of place." I said to myself. I should really stop talking to myself before I go crazy. Soon, I was snapped from my thoughts when I saw movement come from that old door. I gripped my machete tightly in my hand and readied myself for whatever unholy creature or person was about to show their face.

When the door opened all the way, I was shocked by what I saw. A girl, no older than 19 at least, wearing what looked like a Kevlar vest and an old riot helmet. I saw her take the helmet off and shield her eyes from the sun, squinting heavily. The girl act's like she's never seen daylight before. That's when I got a closer look at her. She had something inscribed on that vest." 101 no couldn't be." I said to myself. This girl's a genuine vault dweller. The people who hid away from the world while the bombs ravaged the surface and killed millions of people, and I was looking at one from a vault that was said to have never opened.

I watched her for a good minute as she paced around the small rock and sat on a flat surface looking lost and alone. Just before I could get up and just walk away from the scene though, I caught a glimpse of something out the corner of my eye. A small pack of about 5 mole rats that obviously picked up the scent of easy prey; damn, not out of that vault 10 minutes already about to die, it's a shame really.

When the girl looked up, I saw the fear stricken look on her face as she reached for her side and withdrew a 10mm handgun and began to open fire. She got two of them with relative ease and the third and fourth seemed to back off but the fifth one seemed different. It was a little larger than the rest so it must have been the alpha of the pack. The girl fired a couple of shaky shots and only managed to hit it in the shoulder which just seemed to piss it off. I watched as the creature lunged and tackled her to the ground, the girl seeming to use a wooden bat to hold it back but I saw the other two had gained some bravery and began to move toward her. Damn me and my big heart.

I rushed over to the rocky hill quickly put my machete into the side of one of the lesser mole rats. His friend screeched and tried to lunge at me, only to meet my boot and soon my blade. As I slid the machete out of the other mole rat I looked over at the girl who was still struggling with the alpha. The bat in her hands began to crack so I strolled over and decided to give her a hand. I raised my blade over the creature and struck it in the skull. One strike sent it barreling back in pain and soon the creature was met with a second, then third strike to the head. Finally, a loud, CLANK, sound was heard as I dug the machete half way into the creature's skull and broke it off in its head. Great, now I got to go to Megaton and get another.

I turned to look at the girl was still shaking from the scene. I sighed and walked over to check on her. "Hey kid you-." My words were cut short by a bullet whizzing by my head. I looked to see her shakily holding her 10mm pistol at me and trying her best to look tough. "B-B-Back off; I sort of know how to use this!" she said in a shaky voice. My god, this girl was about as threatening as a baby bloatfly.

"Hey kid calm-""I said stay back!" she yelled and tried to take more steady aim. "Fuck this." I said as I took a light step forward and dashed below her aim. She let out a squeak but before she could react I gripped the gun and her shoulder, flipping her flat against the ground and getting the gun from her hand.

"Jeez kid, I come and help you and you try to put a bullet in my head. What kind of thanks is that?" I asked angrily. I looked at her and noticed she wasn't really paying attention but guarding her face.

"Take whatever you want just please don't hurt me." She said shaking some. I sighed at the sight. This was just pathetic.

"Kid calm down I ain't going to hurt you." I said holding out her gun. She reluctantly took it back got up dusting herself off.

"Aren't you a bandit?" she asked, still a little afraid.

"No kid I'm not. Occasionally I'm a gun for hire but that's it." I said leaning against the wall. She seemed to relax a bit but still kept a guarded stance. At least she's smart enough not to let her guard down so quickly. "So, what's your name?"

She seemed to snap out of some kind of trance and blushed out of embarrassment. "OH sorry I'm Dianna." She said holding out her hand. I shrugged and shook her hand. I went to pull back but she wouldn't let go.

"This is the part where you give me back my hand kid." I said in a slightly irritated tone.

"No, this is the park where you tell me your name." she said smiling a bit. That smile, it looked way too innocent. This kid wouldn't last a minute. I scoffed a bit.

"Fair enough, but only problem with that." I said snatching my hand back. "I ain't got one. Not anymore any way." I said getting up.

The girl looked over at me with some kind of sad expression. I'd seen that kind of an expression before. The same one that woman gave me a long time ago. It's an expression that says both I'm sorry and do you need a hug? God I hate that expression.

"Before you go and get all emotional, I chose to give up my name for reasons I will probably never divulge. If you want something to call me, just call me Solider. That's what everyone else calls me." I said as I got off of the wall. Her expression seemed to change but I can never be sure with kids. "So, what brings you to the big bad wasteland?" I asked and soon regretted it. Her expression became one of extreme sadness and she almost broke down crying.

"I-I have to find my dad." She said, her voice cracking a bit from sadness.

"Okay, stop. No water works kid." I said placing my hand on her shoulder. "Come on, follow me. You're going to need some new gear if you're going to make it out there in the waste; well that and a shit ton of help." I said with a huge sigh. How did I end up in this mess? I could have easily just walked away and let the mole rats eat her. What is wrong with me?

I began walking with her down the rocky path and looked over at her. She's just some kid, why the hell am I helping her?

**A/N: Okay welcome to the first chapter of Memories of the Waste. I came up with the idea for this but only two days ago and decided to just throw it out there and make sink or swim. I'm keeping a good amount of detail away from Solider for the soul fact that I want him to become revealed through his actions and not just him presenting himself. He has an interesting past that will constantly catch up with him as he and Dianna a.k.a. the Lone Wanderer go through the magnificent story of Fallout 3. Please Read &amp; Review and throw any suggestions my way. **

**P.S.: All unnecessarily harsh criticism and flames will be thrown into hatred oven and used to bake my hate brownies.**


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